This week has been a rough one at the Athearn house. Both of our kids are having bedtime issues which has turned nighttime into nightmares. I thrive off of schedules and routine and, as a result, my kids have learned to as well. Luke does great at bedtime and our routine is always the same: sit on the potty, put on jammies, brush teeth, lay in bed, read, pray, sing, and lights out. No problems ever. Until this week. We are on night four of him refusing to go to bed. He screams and cries and whines and will not stay in bed. We've tried everything it seems. Usually after a good two+ hours of fighting, around 11 or 11:30, his body finally collapses in exhaustion and we can turn in for the night. That is, of course, if Addison is cooperating, which she hasn't been lately either.
Addison was sleeping through the night (by that I mean I'd put her down sometime around 11 and she'd go til 5 or 6, sometimes 7) since before she was a month old. Around three months, she was going down earlier and making it regularly til 6:30 or 7. This past month, she's been hungrier during the day and so I started her on cereal, which has helped somewhat with the daytime issues. This week, however, she has been going to bed later and fighting bedtime routine as well. It doesn't help that the kids share a room and I can't put her down when her brother is in there screaming. She used to eat, I'd change her, then put her in bed awake and she'd fall right asleep. Now she screams when I put her down and I can't let her "cry it out" too long for fear that she will wake up Luke, who has only been sleeping for a half hour usually. And to top it off, she has now decided 4am is a great time to get up to eat. I'm so frustrated I could cry, which is actually what I did this morning at 4 when I was feeding her! I've tried everything--she's on solids now, that doesn't help. I've tried letting her nurse for up to an hour at her last feeding. I've tried nursing her then giving her formula as well to try and hold her over. NOTHING WORKS!!!!
Well, that's all my ranting for now I guess. I just hope this is a phase that will quickly pass. It's just hard that both kids are going through difficult phases at the same time, making us dread bedtime when that used to be a happy time when we could put the kids down and actually get some time together alone. Any suggestions for what we can do differently would be appreciated...
A Beautiful Realization
6 years ago
3 comments:
I feel your pain...Carson seems to think that he needs to get up every day at 5:45 or so...sometimes wakes up Jack, sometimes not, but still way too early for me. We can not figure out how to get him to stop. We've tried later bedtime, earlier bedtime, threats, spanks, letting him come down and watch TV alone, keeping in him room until he sees the 7 on his clock, playing quietly in his room...nothing works! Really, really hope this is a phase - nervous about the holidays because Jack is a terrible sleeper other places and if Carson keeps this up, nobody will sleep...sorry family!!!!! Hope your house is getting better and praying for a phase!!!!
I can totally relate...about the frustration of it, and just wanting to cry (or actually doing it). For Titus it meant shorter naps sooner in the day or no nap at all. And he still doesn't get a nap unless it is under 30 minutes or it is next to impossible to get him to sleep. Damaris went through this phase where she would get up from her bed and get in all her drawers and squeeze lotion everywhere - yeah, not happy. I am convinced that persistance is the key! Because we kept at our normal routine and eventually it went back to being OK. They just needed to test us - multiple times aparently. And of course Addie is still so little...and you are probably right about her going through a growth spurt - which probably is why she is so hungry. Like you said, this is just a phase! But no matter what anyone says, it still sucks. And you just want it to end, and it is terrible until a month from now you look back and say, wow, we made it :) I just said to Stephen the other day...I can't wait for three years from now when both the kids are older and more independent. And three years seems like FOREVER away. Can I make it??? I hope so :) :) Sorry for the book I just wrote...I just really feel your pain so was just rambling on...
We SERIOUSLY have to get together soon. Maybe if I am not working in January we could meet up with the kids some time during the day or something. And of course it would be fun for ALL of us to get together. Maybe after we get through the holidays...
Have a great rest of your weekend...and make you just need to get out of the house either by your self or just with Jonathan...even if it is only for an hour!!
Michelle
I can totally relate because we have been through similar situations with our children. Just keep doing what you are doing. Cutting out his nap (if he still takes one) could help. We had to do that with David because he wouldn't be tired at bedtime. Grace is not a great sleeper and she regularly wakes up in the middle of the night ready to start her day. The other day, she snuck into David's room and woke him up, too. It has been lie this her entire life.
And for the past week or so, Gregory has been staying up late, sleeping for a few hours and then waking up to nurse constantly from about 3:30 until I just give up trying to get him back to sleep in the morning. So I can totally relate to the crying while feeding a baby because I've done it too! Being a parent can be so exhausting at times, but a lot the time, you just have to ride it out and things will get better.
I hope tonight will go more smoothly for you!!
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